VOLUNTEERS behind Thornbury’s success at South West in Bloom’s champion of champions gathered last weekend for a special event to recognise their work.

Dozens of members from Thornbury in Bloom and the town’s horticultural best met on Sunday, October 8 at the Armstrong Hall to announce the winners of the town’s own competition.

The town, which has won a gold medal at South West in Bloom every year since 2000, had been named “Champion of Champions”, beating other top in bloom towns, cities and villages from across the South West, also picking up awards for the best floral pub in the South West, best indigenous natural plants and a prize for outstanding service to South West in Bloom.

Being joined by Thornbury Paralympian Mike Spence MBE, who handed out the awards as well as talking about the importance of volunteering and being part of a strong community.

Thornbury’s mayor, Cllr Helen Harrison also spoke at the event, thanking Thornbury in Bloom and their supporters for their hard work, a sentiment echoed by the group’s chairman, Sheila Forsythe, who said: “thank you to everyone who helped make Thornbury such an amazing town in which we are all proud to live and work.”

The final and most prestigious award at the event, a new trophy donated by the family of Thornbury potter, the late Chris Zair, was presented to Rita Freed who has worked tirelessly for horticulture in Thornbury, celebrating her 95th birthday that weekend.

For more information on Thornbury in Bloom and for a list of this year's winners, visit www.thornburyinbloom.co.uk.